49ers settle into NFL’s top power tier entering Week 10, but do they land No. 1?

The central question for this week’s power rankings is simple: where are the San Francisco 49ers placed after their Week 9 performance, and do they earn the top spot? Entering Week 10, the 49ers were listed as No. 1 by NFL Network and CBS Sports, while ESPN, The Athletic, and Bleacher Report placed them just behind at No. 2.

The rankings follow San Francisco’s 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, a result that improved the 49ers to 7-1 on the season and 5-0 at home, according to the team’s recap of the latest national votes.

NFL Network’s No. 1 placement pointed to an especially emphatic defensive showing, including five forced turnovers and a shutdown of Kirk Cousins, and it framed the game as a demonstration of the kind of control elite teams show against weaker opponents.

CBS Sports also rated San Francisco No. 1 and highlighted Brock Purdy’s MVP talk, while the other outlets anchored their top-two placement on the team’s overall season profile and recent form after its bye.

Several entries connected Purdy’s milestone to franchise history. The team’s roundup noted that with his 100th career passing touchdown, Purdy matched an NFL record tied to the Los Angeles Rams for the most players with 100-plus passing touchdowns for a single franchise.

Looking ahead, San Francisco begins a two-game road stretch starting with Dallas, before traveling to Mexico, as the Week 10 discussion framed it. The power ranking picture, meanwhile, still reflects a team viewed as an NFC favorite and home-field contender.